Elizabeth Laird - The Lure of the Honeybird

A fascinating collection of Ethiopian stories framed within a warm, empathetic travel memoir

(Polygon)

‘Teret, teret, ye lam beret’ (once upon a time), there was a husband who turned a man into a donkey, a God who sat on a rock slitting his penis and a tyrannous king. While this roundup suggests that Elizabeth Laird has strayed into fairy-tale territory with her new novel, a glance at the cover tells a different story. The Lure of the Honeybird frames the traditional Ethiopian tales Laird has collected with a frank account of her travels.

From the explanation of why it’s dangerous to stand under a tree when lightning strikes (it’s the chameleon’s fault), to tales of sex, incest and adultery, this collection both invokes nostalgia and fascination. While the stories predominantly have simple structures (good triumphing over evil, love versus loss), Laird’s knowledge of Ethiopia is astounding and accurate, adding layers to the otherwise sometimes repetitive tales. Her ability to illustrate the hospitality, warmth and understanding of the local people is excellent and she writes with an empathy many writers lack.

Historical facts can be learnt but to really understand the past, historical novels are an excellent resource. The latest novels by Elizabeth Laird and Sally Nicholls both take real figures and events and create compelling narratives. Elizabeth’s The Prince Who Walked With Lions is the story of the last prince of…